Re: [CPEO-MEF] Environmental concerns hinder digging training, Marines assert

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[Posted by Kent Slowinski <WKSLA@aol.com>]

I can understand the Camp Pendleton Marines' concerns about digging
foxholes, based on my
experience as a landscape architect and as a member of the Spring Valley
Restoration Advisory
Board.

Spring Valley is the former site of the American University Experimental
Station and birthplace of
the Chemical Warfare Service in World War I, where approximately 192
chemicals were developed,
produced, tested, sprayed in fields, statically fired, ballistically
fired, disposed, buried, etc.

In Spring Valley, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has
been only sampling the
top 6 inches of the two foot deep "Residents Exposure Zone", in addition
to testing only 2-3 inches
of each foot of the soil boring samples.

If the Marines were to dig in Spring Valley, American University Park,
and Fort Gaines, they would
likely that find that the contamination is deeper than 6 inches, and
that the extent of contamination
is greater than the 146 properties identified by USACE to date.

USACE has had to chase contamination onto adjacent properties or grids
on approximately 25% of
the plus or minus 20 properties that have been remediated to date,
further evidence of deficiencies
in the soil sampling.

Several contractors working in Spring Valley have been exposed to
chemical warfare material while
planting trees, digging basements, and preparing foundations.

Two contractors who were exposed in 1996, learned in February 2002 that
they were exposed to
Lewisite and have filed suit against the Federal government and American
University.

Three contractors exposed in 1992 had extensive blistering on their
arms, stomachs, backs, and
legs.

Several contractors and residents working around arsenic contaminated
soil have experienced
memory loss, gastrointestinal problems, peripheral neuropathy, and other
symptoms of arsenic
exposure.

At last month's Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board meeting, USACE
mentioned the
possiblity land use controls.

There should be stronger regulations and more oversight to ensure that
USACE thoroughly cleans
up contamination at FUDS such as Spring Valley.

Kent Slowinski
Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board

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